The present invention relates to compressors. More specifically, to temperature control of a compressor, such as a variable-speed compressor.
Compressors often employ a coolant such as oil to cool the compressor during operation. The oil also serves as a lubricant between moving parts and enhances the seal between moving parts to improve compression efficiency. During operation, the coolant is heated by friction as well as contact with the compressed fluid and the moving components. Compressor systems typically include a cooler that receives and cools the coolant to maintain the temperature in a desired temperature range. To maintain the temperature, a portion of un-cooled coolant is often mixed with cooled coolant to maintain a coolant inlet temperature. However, in systems that employ a variable speed compressor, the compressor outlet temperature can vary greatly. This variability can result in unstable or inefficient operation of the compressor system.